The dreaded keto flu

For all the excellent benefits of the ketogenic lifestyle, getting there can be a physically rough road. The primary reason for this is what is known as the “keto flu”. Almost everyone who has changed their life to the healthy ketogenic lifestyle has had to deal with the keto flu, and some have had a worse deal than others.

Background

The keto flu is the common name for the induction phase of ketogenesis. That means it’s the period of time when your body is getting used to the changes you have made to what you eat. When you change what you eat, you change everything about how your body operates and functions. Inside your gut (where close to 70% of your immune system lives) are billions of bacteria, and they are all battling for dominance. If your diet consists of highly refined carbs, the types of bacteria that thrive in your gut (e. coli, h. pylori, candida a, etc.) will be inflammatory and detrimental to your immune system. By changing your diet to be high in fat, those same bacteria die off rapidly, because they don’t have their preferred energy source. This massive bacteria death has consequences. These consequences are typically:

Diarrhea

Headaches

Nausea

Lack of mental focus and clarity

Fatigue

In short: You feel like you have the flu. That’s because, in a way, you do. Your immune system is taking a beating when you make the change, because it has grown accustomed to the way things have been. But once you get through the induction phase, and you start to feel better, your immune system will be several times stronger and more efficient. That’s one of the reason that Ketovangelists don’t get sick (and when they do, it’s not nearly as bad as it could have been).

Changing Fuel Sources

The best way to think about what you’re doing to your body is to imagine you are disconnecting one fuel tank (carbs) and connecting another fuel tank (fat). The new fuel tank is bigger, more efficient, and preferred by the vast majority of your body. But, because you have spent so much time burning the old fuel (carbs), your body isn’t quite prepared to make the shift, so it takes an adjustment period. During that adjustment period, your body puts things in “maintenance mode” and spends some time getting rid of things that don’t work and play well with fat burning fuel. It takes a little time to build everything back up to be efficient at burning the new fuel, but it will.

Duration

Some people suffer minor (almost unnoticeable) symptoms for a day or less. Some people, like me, suffer from a full blown flu-like feeling for several days. Then there are the unlucky few who suffer for up to three weeks of very difficult adjustments. It’s rare, but it does happen, and it’s a sticky wicket. But the only way to get through it is to get through it.

How To Deal With Keto Flu

There are a few things you can do to help alleviate the symptoms.

Add salt

You’ll be surprised at how much a teaspoon of salt will help.

Drink water

This is a no-brainer. You need as much water as you can get.

Eat more fat

You may not feel like eating, but when you do, make it fatty.

Limit your protein

Just make sure you don’t over do your protein. You need it, but not too much.

My Keto Flu

I mentioned earlier that I had the keto flu for a few days, and here’s a little about why. I am not the type of person to wade into anything. When I make up my mind, I belly flop my way into whatever I’m keen on. Sometimes that can be bad. In this case, it was bad. I went cold turkey off of carbs, all carbs. I woke up one morning and decided I was going to eat fat, and lots of it. So I started that day with coconut oil and butter coffee and followed it up with nuts and fatty food for lunch and dinner. By the time evening rolled around, I was in severe discomfort.

I spent the next couple of days feeling fluish and running to the bathroom. And I don’t recommend it. However, I know what I can take, so I know that if I tiptoed into the ketogenic lifestyle, I would have failed. I have to go all in from the start or I won’t be successful. So, if you’re like me, and the idea of easing into a new lifestyle doesn’t sound appealing, I say two things: Go for it and be prepared for some nasty adjustments.

If, however, you’re not a fan of self-inflicted suffering, I’d recommend you start slowly and work toward your goal methodically. That won’t prevent you from having the keto flu, you still might, but it will likely not be as severe.

Ketovangelist Coaching

If you're still not sure what to do, or you're a keto veteran and you're looking for some help, you should check out our coaching program. Ketovangelist coaches live keto all day, every day. We keep up to date on the latest science, too. But more importantly, we focus on your goals to help you achieve success in your keto journey. It's always better to have someone in your corner, guiding you along. So if you're ready for success, sign up for a coach today.

Comments

I eased into the keto diet gradually. I’ve found that going cold turkey doesn’t work for me in the long-term. By tiptoeing into the waters, I didn’t feel like I’d barreled head first into the deep end of the abyss that is carb and sugar deprivation. By taking my time and easing in, I didn’t even realize I experienced keto flu until much later, when I first learned that keto flu was a “thing.” Looking back, there were a few days that I was really sleepy and took a couple of naps. That was the extent of it for me.

So far so good for me. I’ve had a slight headache for the last couple of days but nothing major. I have found that I am less hungry already. Not sure how far along I am in induction though. Only been doing this for 2 or 3 weeks maybe a little longer.

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